The NCWR programme is designed to advance the use of cost-effective and replicable practices, to ensure water availability and address water scarcity challenges at a local level across the Mediterranean.

Currently it is implemented in four countries responding to the respective water challenges.

NCWR Practices

With natural water supplies no longer meeting the growing demand in several countries throughout the Mediterranean region, Non Conventional Water Resources (NCWR), such as rainwater and greywater, are increasingly becoming an additional contributor to water availability.

Related environmental, energy, health and other impacts need to be carefully considered while defining the potentials and limitations of such options. Improving non-conventional options demands better planning and regulation; coordinated investment; monitoring of operations; building managerial capacity; and, where relevant, mitigating their negative impacts.

Overall, where the development of non-conventional options is necessary, it should be combined with water demand management actions. In relation and beyond these, a strong demand for integrated water resources management and urban water management, including thorough blue-green approaches and practices, has emerged.

RWH in SIkinos

In 2011, a rainwater harvesting system was installed on the Aegean island of Sikinos in Greece. The system is designed to collect run-off water from the main streets connecting two villages in a 400m3 water reservoir. The collected rainwater is available to all islanders and is used for irrigation, livestock watering, and cleaning of public spaces.